Ok in an attempt to procrastinate packing to move house, I've decided to finally write Austins birth story. Now I reaaalllly don't want to pack so this is going to be long winded. I'd probably suggest popping the kettle on if you're going to attempt to make it though this....here goes!
We were booked for an induction on Tuesday the 5th Jan, I was very nervous on the day. We’d purchased a pram earlier in the week and Rod went to pick it up about an hour before we were due to leave for the hospital. When he got back I was packed and ready to leave, however Rod wanted to set the pram up...I swear I could have killed him.
We arrived at the hospital at 3pm and were admitted to the labour ward (room 3) I got comfy on the bed and the MW attached some heart monitors to my belly. Rod and I pretty much just sat and chatted, watched the cricket on TV and listened to the moans and screams of a lady in labour next door, which I found more exciting then scary.
At 7pm the MW came in and administered the Gels to induce the labour. Rod held my hand why she put the gels on, uncomfortable but not painful at all. The midwife then explained that it was unlikely anything would happen until we did a second lot of Gels the next morning, she also said that I should get some sleep and that Rod should probably head home and get some sleep. Rod wasn’t going anywhere he was bouncing up and down on his seat in excitement =) I had some “great” hospital dinner! The gels gave me a tingling burning sensation that was very uncomfortable, I also has some mild cramping.
At 9.30 there was a shift change with the midwifes, the new MW came in to take blood pressure, etc as I sat up so she could reach my arm I felt a little pop and a gush of warmness, waters broke! Silly me decided it would be nice to wear my new PJ’s for the labour...sadly those PJ’s are with us no longer! I got out of the bed and went to the bathroom, Rod’s standing on the other room like a stunned mullet “is that all??” he asked, “are we going to have the baby now?” clearly he’d read the baby books lol he was more than a little disappointed that it wasn’t all going to kick off then and there.
The MW explained that they would most likely put a drip on me that evening to get things going. I explained that I’d really like to put that off and try to get things going myself. She said she’d see what she could do. Rod and I started chucking laps of our room, MW came back and said they would let me go overnight and we’d re-evaluate in the morning if nothing had happened. I started getting period cramping which gradually became more painful. Rod’s phone battery was dying and mine was already dead (so organised!) and he wanted to go home and grab a charger. I told him to go but made him swear on his life he’d be back ASAP, I was so scared of him not being there. Our MW came in while Rod was gone and told me I should probably call him and tell him to stay at home until something started, he came back anyway and stayed until I fell asleep (around 1am). Around 2.30am pains were so bad I couldn’t sleep, however they weren’t getting any worse or coming with any regularity. Around 6am I hopped in the shower, did my hair and make-up??? (I’d regret that eyeliner and mascara later). When I got out MW came in and said we would start the drip around 7.30, I jumped on the phone straight away to DP to make sure he was on his way. Cramps had still been painful all morning but again not getting worse or regular. At 7.30am I was put on the drip, contractions started almost immediately, coming around 2minutes apart. It felt like someone had their hands on my hips and were squeezing again and again getting harder and harder each time. I spent the first hours of my labour standing during contractions, leaning on a chair with DP holding a hot pack on my back. During the short break from contractions I would walk around the room and drink as much water as I could. Deep breathing really helped with the pain, I also had a small face mister that I would tap on the side of the chair with each contraction. I’d concentrate on the tapping noise to take my mind off the pain and to keep my breathing in time.
By this stage we’d also had another shift change and a new MW (Anne) she was great, she told us we we’re a great little team and that we seemed to have it all covered, said if there wasn’t anything she could get us then she would go have a cuppa and leave us to do our own thing. Anne – MW popped her head in a few times, said she could hear my face mister bottle tapping all the way down the hall lol. Rod was funny during contractions, I found if he touched me or talked to me I would get distracted and forget my breathing so I asked him to sit down, be quiet and watch the cricket. He’d last for five minutes and then go “no there’s got to be something I can do, can I rub your back? Play some music”.
At 1pm I was knackered! I’d been having intense contractions since 8am, coming anywhere from 1-2 minutes apart. There was hardly time for me to have a drink of water between them. I had moved from standing to kneeling on a pillow, braced on DP’s legs who was sitting in a chair. A contraction would come and I would think to myself “ok lets do this, I can do this” about half way through I’d think “oohhh god I can’t do this anymore”, it would finish and I’d think “ok just get through a few more before you ask for gas”. I lasted until 1.30pm lol and the lovely Anne organised the gas for me, at first we tried the face mask, which I hated it made me feel claustrophobic, so we switched to the mouthpiece. We started off very low on the gas because it made me feel a bit yucky. At 2pm I wasn’t coping, I was so exhausted, in the 1-2 minute break between contractions I would close my eyes and almost fall asleep to be yanked back out of it by another nasty contraction. DP urged me to think about an epidural, worried I wouldn’t have the energy to push when it came down to it, knowing I desperately wanted to avoid a C section. We asked for the Epi and within a few minutes a doctor was there to administer the epidural. He explained that I would need to be still when he put it in, I was thrashing about with each contraction so the MW went to turn my gas up...turns out I wasn’t getting much gas...we’d stupidly not thought to ask the MW to turn the gas up. This was the most disappointing part of my labour after the gas was turned up I was coping with the contractions and probably could have made it through the labour with just the gas! After the epi was put in I remember laying down in bed...I woke up 2 hours later. DP said as soon as my head touched the pillow I fell asleep. I woke up at approx 4pm, a Doctor did an internal to find I was only 4cm dilated.
Around this time the doctor also explained to me that the baby’s heart rate had them worried and that they would need to take blood from the baby to determine if he was distressed, the blood would need to be taken from the baby’s head, 3 samples would need to be taken. Unfortunately the first two samples didn’t contain enough blood so they had to take two more =( at this stage if anyone was distressed it was me!! The doctor kept mentioning C-Sections.
Approx 6pm and time for another internal, I shut my eyes and prayed for 10cm! TA DA 10cm it was. Rod and I breathed a collective sigh of relief and began getting very very excited.
At 6.30 we started pushing. Rod and the MW braced my legs on their hips, Rod was fantastic, encouraging me along with the MW. Although at the time every time he told me to push harder and to keep going, I’d shoot him daggers and think in my head “SHUT UP! YOU push harder idiot!”.
After ½ an hour the Doc and MW’s came in and started setting up for the delivery. Our little man needed a hand coming out, so ventouse delivery it was.
Austin Michael Allan was born at 7.21pm on January 6th 2010. His Apgar scores were 9 and 9. He came out pink and screaming. I’ll never forget the look on Rod’s face, the blatant look of love at first sight, or the first time Austin opened his little eyes...he stopped crying and just stared up at us (he probably couldn’t see a thing but it was amazing for us ;p).
Although my labour wasn’t what I had originally planned, I can’t fault it. It was the single most amazing experience I or Rod have ever had. I’d do it all again any day. The only thing I would change would be putting on mascara and eyeliner...this ended up all down my cheeks. No one thought to wipe this off before taking our first pictures with Austin
Congrats if you made it through and thanks for reading!!
Last edited by lindsaymaree; March 26th, 2010 at 05:06 AM.
i had to giggle at Rob *needing* to set up the pram...i sooo reckon partners also get the nesting bug...my DH *had* to feed the animals (1/2 hour after they had already been fed JIC lol).
you guys seemed to work so well together and good on you for sticking to your guns and having Rob stay through the night...they are such wonderful support and company as we both make the transition to a new way of life with our babies.
wow! thank you for sharing your story!
Bummer on the mascara and eyeliner haha! But in years to come i'm sure you'll have a laugh about! In labour and still finding the time to look fab! hehe!
You've done a fantastic job, be proud. And you're so right.. it is such an incredible experience.. nothing will ever beat it
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Austin Michaels Birth
When he got back I was packed and ready to leave, however Rod wanted to set the pram up...I swear I could have killed him.
Congrats if you made it through and thanks for reading!!
haha! But in years to come i'm sure you'll have a laugh about! In labour and still finding the time to look fab! hehe!
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